Halal Demand in Hong Kong - Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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Halal Demand in Hong Kong
An Interactive Qualifying Project
Submitted to the Faculty of
WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the
Degree of Bachelor of Science
by
Michael Ambrose
Risbel Rivas
Nathan Rose
Armando Zubillaga
Date:
March 5, 2018
Report Submitted to:
Ms. Anne Chuah, Mr. Ivan Law, Ms. Candy Chan, and Mr. Anthony Mak
Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre
Professors Thomas J. Balistrieri and Stephan Sturm
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
This report represents work of WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence
of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial
or peer review. For more information about the projects program at WPI, see
http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Projects
ii
Abstract
This project seeks to determine how the Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre (STC)
can facilitate halal certification in Hong Kong’s food industry. We gathered information about
Hong Kong’s Muslim community and their need for halal food through semi-standardized
interviews, online research, non-participant observations, and an online survey. We provide
recommendations suggesting which sectors of the food industry are viable for this project, how
to educate clients, and how to establish relations the Muslim community. Specifically, we
suggest that the STC focuses on the pre-packaged food, meat, and fast food sectors of the food
industry, establishes regular contact with Muslim representative organizations, and introduces
the concept of halal to potential clients in the food industry.
iii
Acknowledgements
First, we would like to thank our ID2050 instructors and advisors, Dr. Thomas Balistreri
and Dr. Stephan Sturm, for their continued guidance and encouragement before and during our
time in Hong Kong. We would also like to thank WPI's research librarian Paige Neumann,
whose knowledge and experience in information gathering helped lay the foundation of our
project.
It was a pleasure working for the Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre (STC). Ivan
Law and Candy Chan specifically were exceptional supervisors. We could not have
accomplished what we have without the resources, guidance, and opportunities they provided us.
The imams and representatives of Muslim organizations we encountered were invaluable in
providing us a window into the Muslim community, helping us understand the intricacies of
halal and haram food, providing us contacts, and helping us to distribute our survey. The
kindness that this community showed us was a wonderful surprise, and something that will stay
with each of us for years to come.
Finally, we would like to thank our fellow students, who not only provided assistance,
but also made our stay in Hong Kong feel more like home.
iv
Executive Summary
The Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre (STC) is a non-profit organization which
provides testing, inspection, certification, and technical services for its industry partners. The
STC’s goal is to facilitate the halal certification process in Hong Kong's food industry. Halal is a
concept in the Muslim faith that dictates how Muslims live their life, in our context it
importantly dictates what they are allowed to eat. Our goal is to determine the best avenue for the
STC to launch its halal certification project. To determine approaches for the STC to facilitate
halal certifications, we identified the Muslim population in Hong Kong, their current and future
need for halal food, and the challenges they face in following a halal diet. To accomplish our
objectives, we conducted semi-standardized interviews, online research, non-participant
observations and an online survey.
In our findings we observed a few major themes:
• There is a lack of education in Hong Kong about what halal means. Many people think of
halal as just meaning healthy and do not understand this religious practice, which makes
it difficult for Muslims to trust local food.
• Availability of halal food is the biggest obstacle for Muslims trying to maintain a halal
diet in Hong Kong. While different individuals have different priorities on which food to
buy, our contacts were consistently looking for certified food.
• Trust is a key element in working with Hong Kong’s Muslim community. We frequently
heard concerns about false certifications and misleading practices. This is a small
community that is wary of being taken advantage of.
After analyzing the collected data, we determined three food industry sectors for the STC
to approach to begin facilitating halal certifications in Hong Kong. Each of the recommendations
takes into account the most common desires of the Muslim community expressed in our
research.
• We recommend that the STC starts working with local food manufacturers producing
pre-packaged goods to certify their products. Currently very few items in common
grocery stores are certified, despite many items being intrinsically halal. This approach
has the benefits of being comparably quick to implement, having a large number of
potential clients, and the ability to make a significant impact on the Muslim community.
• We recommend that the STC works with major fast food chains to establish halal
certified branches. McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut have established
halal certified branches in many countries with a significant Muslim population. Even
while previous attempts failed, our findings indicate that there is a high demand for halal
certified fast food in Hong Kong. It is our opinion that certifying branches of major fast
v
food chains in key locations will be an important step for the growth of the STC’s
project.
• We recommend that the STC works with local slaughterhouses to increase the supply of
halal meats. Currently there is only one slaughterhouse in Hong Kong with a section for
preparing halal meat. Because the proper preparation of halal meat is a very specific
process, Muslims often have a hard time trusting halal meat imported from non-Muslim
countries. Restaurants will embrace halal options only if there is a convenient and reliable
source for halal meat. In order to get a larger part of the food industry certified, the
problems with limited supply of halal meat will need to be resolved.
Additionally, we recommend that the STC establishes relations with the Muslim
community. Members of the community have expressed interest that they would like to work
closely with the STC. The community wants to make sure that Muslims in Hong Kong are able
to follow a halal diet and that products are not being falsely classified as halal.
vi
Authorship Page
Primary Primary
Section Title
Author(s) Editors(s)
Title Page All All
Abstract MA MA, NR, RR
Acknowledgments MA, NR MA, NR
Executive Summary All All
Authorship Page AZ, RR All
Table of Contents RR All
List of Figures RR All
1. Introduction All All
2. Background MA RR
2.1 General Info on Hong Kong AZ All
2.1.1 Religion AZ AZ, NR, RR
2.1.2 Demographics AZ All
2.2 Islam and Halal NR NR, RR, MA
2.2.1 Islam NR NR, MA, RR
2.2.2 What is Halal Food? NR NR, MA, RR
2.2.3 Defining Haram NR NR, MA, RR
2.2.4 Variation in Halal Practices NR NR, MA, RR
2.3 Muslim Migration to Hong Kong RR AZ, MA, RR
2.3.1 The History of Muslim Migration RR AZ, MA, RR
2.4 Muslim Integration into Hong Kong RR AZ, MA, RR
2.4.1 Muslim Organizations RR AZ, MA, RR
2.4.2 Cultural and Social Integration RR AZ, MA, RR
2.4.3 Domestic Workers RR AZ, MA, RR
2.5 Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre MA MA, RR
2.5.1 The STC and its Industry Position in Hong Kong MA MA, RR
vii
3. Methodology AZ All
3.1 The Muslim Population in Hong Kong MA, RR, AZ All
3.2 The Current and Future Need for Halal Food MA, RR All
3.3 The Challenges of Following a Halal Diet MA, RR All
3.4 Determining Recommendations MA, RR, AZ All
4. Results and Analysis RR All
4.1 Demographic Information RR All
4.2 Pre-packaged Food MA All
4.3 Meat AZ All
4.4 Fast Food NR All
4.5 Challenges MA All
4.6 Certifications RR All
5. Recommendations and Conclusions RR All
5.1 Pre-packaged Food Products MA All
5.2 Meat NR All
5.3 Fast Food AZ All
5.4 Connecting to Industry MA, AZ All
5.5 Connecting to the Muslim Community MA All
6. Limitations RR All
6.1 Survey RR All
6.2 Pre-packaged Food Products MA All
6.3 Meat NR All
6.4 Fast Food AZ All
Bibliography All All
Appendix A: Interview Protocols RR All
Appendix B: Interview Notes RR All
Appendix B.1: Employee of the Consulate General of
RR All
the Republic of Indonesia in Hong Kong
viii
Appendix B.2: Local Scholar RR, NR All
Appendix B.3: Member of the Incorporated Trustees of
RR All
the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong
Appendix B.4: Imam One AZ All
Appendix B.5: Imam Two MA All
Appendix B.6: Muslim Individual RR All
Appendix B.7: Owner of Meat Shop AZ All
Appendix B.8: Representatives of the Islamic Union of
NR, RR All
Hong Kong
Appendix C: Flyer and Survey Protocols All All
Appendix D: Survey Results RR All
Appendix E: Observation Protocols RR All
Appendix F: Halal Meat Supply RR, AZ All
Appendix G: Brochure RR, NR All
ix
Table of Contents
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... iii
Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... iv
Authorship Page ........................................................................................................................... vi
List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. xii
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1
2. Background ............................................................................................................................... 2
2.1 General Information on Hong Kong ................................................................................. 2
2.1.1 Religion .......................................................................................................................... 2
2.1.2. Demographics............................................................................................................... 3
2.2. Islam and Halal................................................................................................................... 3
2.2.1 Islam............................................................................................................................... 4
2.2.2 What is Halal Food? ..................................................................................................... 5
2.2.3 Defining Haram ............................................................................................................ 6
2.2.4 Variation in Halal Practices......................................................................................... 6
2.3 Muslim Migration to Hong Kong ...................................................................................... 7
2.3.1 History of Muslim Migration....................................................................................... 7
2.4 Muslim Integration into Hong Kong ................................................................................. 8
2.4.1 Muslim Organizations .................................................................................................. 8
2.4.2 Cultural and Social Integration................................................................................... 9
2.4.3 Domestic Workers ........................................................................................................ 9
2.5 Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre ..................................................................... 10
2.5.1 The STC and its Industry Position in Hong Kong ................................................... 10
3. Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 12
3.1 The Muslim Population in Hong Kong ........................................................................... 12
3.2 The Current and Future Need for Halal Food ............................................................... 12
3.3 The Challenges of Following a Halal Diet ....................................................................... 13
3.4 Determining Recommendations ....................................................................................... 13
4. Results and Analysis ............................................................................................................... 14
4.1 Demographic Information ................................................................................................ 14
4.2 Pre-packaged Food ............................................................................................................ 15
4.3 Meat .................................................................................................................................... 16
x 4.4 Fast Food ............................................................................................................................ 17 4.5 Challenges .......................................................................................................................... 18 4.6 Certifications...................................................................................................................... 20 5. Recommendations and Conclusions ...................................................................................... 21 5.1 Pre-packaged Food Products ........................................................................................... 21 5.2 Meat .................................................................................................................................... 21 5.3 Fast Food ............................................................................................................................ 22 5.4 Connecting to Industry ..................................................................................................... 22 5.5 Connecting to the Muslim Community ........................................................................... 23 6. Limitations ............................................................................................................................... 24 6.1 Survey ................................................................................................................................. 24 6.2 Pre-packaged Food Products ........................................................................................... 24 6.3 Meat .................................................................................................................................... 24 6.4 Fast Food ............................................................................................................................ 25 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 26 Appendix A: Interview Protocols .............................................................................................. 30 Appendix B: Interview Notes ..................................................................................................... 31 Appendix B.1: Employee of the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Hong Kong.......................................................................................................................................... 31 Appendix B.2: Local Scholar.................................................................................................. 33 Appendix B.3: Member of the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong ............................................................................................................................... 36 Appendix B.4: Imam One ....................................................................................................... 38 Appendix B.5: Imam Two ...................................................................................................... 40 Appendix B.6: Muslim Individual ......................................................................................... 41 Appendix B.7: Owner of Meat Shop...................................................................................... 42 Appendix B.8: Representatives of the Islamic Union of Hong Kong.................................. 43 Appendix C: Survey .................................................................................................................... 44 Appendix D: Survey Results ...................................................................................................... 50 Appendix E: Observation Protocols .......................................................................................... 60 Appendix F: Halal Meat Supply ................................................................................................ 61 Slaughterhouses ....................................................................................................................... 61 Markets .................................................................................................................................... 61
xi Appendix G: Brochure ............................................................................................................... 63
xii List of Figures Figure 1: Data for religions in Hong Kong. .................................................................................... 2 Figure 2: Data for nationalities in Hong Kong ............................................................................... 3 Figure 3: Data for the Muslim Population around the world .......................................................... 4 Figure 4: Data from "Sunnis and Shia in the Middle East". ........................................................... 5 Figure 5: Responses to the question: “With which of these groups do you identify?” ................ 15 Figure 6: Responses to the question: “How often do you purchase pre-packaged foods (sealed food contained in cans, boxes, wrappers,…)” .............................................................................. 15 Figure 7: Responses to the question: “How often do you eat fast food" and "“How often would you eat fast food if it were halal certified?" .................................................................................. 18 Figure 8: Responses to the question: “What fraction of the food products that you buy is halal certified?” ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Figure 9: Slaughterhouses and Halal Meat Markets in Hong Kong ................................................. Figure 10: Front side of “Halal Certification Process” brochure .................................................. 63 Figure 11: Back side of "Halal Certification Process" brochure .................................................. 64
1
1. Introduction
Islam is among the world’s fastest growing religions, accounting for approximately a
quarter of the world’s religious population. Muslim communities are primarily concentrated in
the Middle East, Central Asia, Indonesia, South Asia, and North Africa. The teachings of the
Qur’an serve as the foundation of Islam, and provide the basis of Islamic law. Actions deemed
permissible and forbidden under Islamic law are known as halal and haram respectively. The
halal lifestyle affects every part of a Muslim’s life, from prayer and family to social norms and
food. A halal diet considers the nature and condition of what enters the body, dictating what a
Muslim can and cannot consume.
In many predominantly Muslim nations, the social structure and infrastructure are shaped
by halal and haram practices. However, non-Islamic societies do not accommodate these
practices to the same extent, posing difficulties for Muslims living in these countries. These
difficulties exist in Hong Kong, as the Muslim community represents less than 5% of the
population. One challenge is following a halal diet, which excludes many Hong Kong food
staples, such as pork and shellfish. Additionally, labeling products as halal is not a standard
industry practice. Knowing what is halal and what is not halal can be difficult for Muslims living
in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre (STC) is cooperating with the Islamic
Food Research Center (IFRC) to streamline the process of certifying halal food. To generate the
most benefit for Hong Kong’s Muslim community, the STC needs to prioritize the promotion of
halal certification where it is needed most. There are no comprehensive profiles of Hong Kong’s
Muslim community, and the few sources found do not provide information on the community’s
demand for halal food. The current research on this community is too diffuse and limited for the
STC’s purposes.
The purpose of our project is to recommend the best avenue for the STC to facilitate halal
certification in Hong K ong’s food industry. To achieve our purpose, we have determined the
following objectives:
1. Identify the Muslim population in Hong Kong
2. Identify the Muslim community’s current and future need for halal food
3. Identify the challenges of following a halal diet for Muslims in Hong Kong
4. Determine recommendations for the STC to facilitate halal certification2. Background
The background chapter covers information deemed pertinent to fulfilling the purpose of
the project. First, general information on Hong Kong is covered to depict the environment in
which the Muslim population resides in. Next, halal food is defined and explained, from its roots
in Islam to the various interpretations put forward by different certifying agencies. The migration
of Muslims to Hong Kong is then covered, followed by their integration into Hong Kong society.
We conclude with information about the project’s sponsor, the STC.
2.1 General Information on Hong Kong
The following section provides an overview of some of the significant characteristics of
Hong Kong. This overview includes information about religion, demographics, food, geography,
and history.
2.1.1 Religion
According to the Pew Research Center’s religious diversity index, a variation of the
Herfindahl-Hirschman Index that measures the degree of religion diversity or concentration (Pew
Research Center, 2014a), Hong Kong had the tenth highest religious diversity index, in 2010
(Pew Research Center, 2014b). Freedom of religion is a right that distinguishes Hong Kong from
mainland China. China’s traditional religions, Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism account for
83% of the religious population. Only 43% of the population in Hong Kong practice religion in
some form (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 2017). Islam in Hong Kong is a
religion with only a small presence. In 2016, the estimated Muslim population in Hong Kong was
300,000, which is roughly 9.2% of citizens who practices religion, and 4.1% of the entire
population of Hong Kong (Home Affairs Bureau, 2016).
Figure 1: Data for religions in Hong Kong from Home Affairs Bureau (2016), for Jewish population in Hong Kong from Lazarus
(2014).3
2.1.2. Demographics
Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world (Smith, 2017). It has
a total population of 7.39 million people with a population growth rate of 0.7% per year (Census
and Statistics Department, 2017a). In 2017, the male population was approximately 3.36 million
while the female population was estimated to be 3.91 million (Census and Statistics Department,
2017a). The largest age group are people 25 to 64 years old (Population Pyramid, 2017).
Most of Hong Kong’s residents live in the New Territories, accounting for 52% of the
population. The remaining 48% resides in the Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong Island; 31%
in Kowloon Peninsula and 17% in Hong Kong Island (Census and Statistics Department, 2017b).
The most densely populated region of Hong Kong is Kowloon; it has a total area of 47 square
kilometers (Pletcher, 2008) with 2.216 million residents at 47,168 people per square kilometer
(Census and Statistics Department, 2017b).
The majority of Hong Kong’s population is of Chinese descent. In 2016 about 92% of the
population considered themselves as Chinese. The other major nationalities present in the
territory are: Filipinos (2.5% of the population), Indonesians (2.2% of the population), and
British (0.5% of the population) (Census and Statistics Department, 2017c).
Figure 2: Data for nationalities in Hong Kong from Census and Statistics Department (2017c).
2.2. Islam and Halal
The following section provides a general overview of Islam and its relationship with halal
food. We discuss first the basis of Islam and Islamic law, followed by information concerning4
halal food and its preparation. The information in this section serves as the foundation of our
project.
2.2.1 Islam
Islam is a monotheistic religion that is closely related to Judaism and Christianity.
Muslims believe that the Qur’an is the final book of God following the Hebrew Bible and the
Christian New Testament. Muslims believe that in 610 C.E the Prophet Muhammad was
approached by the angel Gabriel in a cave near the Muslim holy site of Mecca. Gabriel then told
Muhammad that he was the next and final prophet of God and began to recite to him the new
revelations of God that the Prophet would transcribe as the Qur’an.
According to the Pew Research Centre, 49 countries have a majority Muslim population
(DeSilver & Masci, 2017). Their 2010 global analysis shows that Indonesia is the country with
the largest Muslim population in the world with approximately 209 million Muslims that account
for 87.2% of its population. Closely following are India at 176 million, Pakistan at 167 million,
and Bangladesh at 134 million (Wormald, 2015). Combined, 43% of the world’s Muslim
population lived in these four countries (Wormald, 2015).
Figure 3: Data for the Muslim Population around the world (Mahmud, 2009)
Within Islam there are two major branches, the Sunni and the Shia. The Pew Research Centre’s
global demographic study breaks down the distribution of these groups:
“Of the total Muslim population, 10-13% are Shia Muslims and 87-90% are Sunni
Muslims. Most Shias (between 68% and 80%) live in just four countries: Iran, Pakistan,
India and Iraq” (Liu, 2009).
While the differences between these groups have developed over time, the original divide traces
back to the death of the Prophet Muhammad. The now Shia believed that only a blood relative of
the Prophet should be allowed to succeed him, and wanted to have Ali ibn Abi Talib, the5
Prophet’s cousin, succeed him. The community leaders however decided that Ali was not a
suitable leader and elected a close friend of the Prophet. Following years of revolts and violence
these groups live now in persistent opposition.
Figure 4: Data from "Sunnis and Shia in the Middle East" (“Sunnis and Shia”, 2013).
2.2.2 What is Halal Food?
Halal, the Arabic word for “permissible”, refers to all things that are allowed under
Islamic law. The outline for the laws and lifestyle that are considered to adhere to God’s will,
“Sharia”, is broken into categories known as “The Five Decisions.” An article from the Oxford
Encyclopedia of Islam and Politics outlines them as:
“An act may be mandatory (wājib or farḍ), meaning that it is a sin or crime not to
perform it. A mandūb act is recommended, but it is not a sin to omit it. An act that is
neither recommended nor disliked is neutral (mubāh), that is, God has no particular
opinion about it. If an act should be avoided, but is not an actual sin, it is “despised”
(makrūh). Finally, an act that is a sin or a crime to commit is ḥarām.” ("Muslim
journeys".)
The term “halal” refers to what is considered allowable under these guidelines. While most of
these guidelines are clear, there is debate on whether makrūh (despised) actions are considered
halal and on the specific interpretations of different rulings.
For meat to be halal, it must follow standards outlined by Islamic law known as
Dhabīḥah, meaning slaughter. The Qur’an is explicit on the primary requirements of Dhabīḥah,
encompassing preparation, handling, and slaughter of livestock. Animal slaughter must be done
by a practicing member of an Abrahamic religion (Islam, Christianity, or Judaism), although
some certifiers will only accept slaughter done by a practicing Muslim. Halal meat must be from6
an animal that is intentionally slaughtered in the name of Allah, excluding any animals that die
of natural means (The Qur’an, Pickthall, 5.3). The method of slaughter focuses primarily on
what is considered the most humane. According to the European Department of Halal
Certification (EDHC), slaughter should be done via a quick severing of the animal’s jugular
using a sharp blade (Department of Halal Certification, n.d.). They further specify that, while not
necessarily required, it is ideal that the animal should be in comfortable conditions, slaughter
should be as painless as possible, the knife should be hidden from the animal prior to slaughter,
and the slaughter should be done out of sight of other animals (Department of Halal
Certification, n.d.).
2.2.3 Defining Haram
While there are minor disagreements, the majority of haram (prohibited) foods are
uncontroversial. Commonly known restrictions include products involving pork and alcohol. The
level to which practicing Muslims are concerned about these rules is a broad spectrum. While
some Muslims see halal as a guideline and won’t fret about occasional pork, many Muslims
consider it unacceptable to eat on premises that serve haram items for fear of cross
contamination.
A study comparing popular halal certification standards shows that they are divided on
whether or not a business that serves haram items can be certified to serve halal products (Latif,
Mohamed, Sharifuddin, Abdullah, & Ismail, 2014). The halal standard set by the Malaysian
government does not allow for haram items on certified premises and is the strictest halal
standard according to this study. The precedent of the Malaysian standard has international
significance as the Malaysian government has been pushing it to become the forerunner in this
industry (Shirin, 2017). An increasing number of independent halal certifiers have been unifying
under this standard, including the Islamic Food Research Centre (IFRC), the organization with
which the STC is currently working.
2.2.4 Variation in Halal Practices
The Muslim community is divided on whether pre-stunning animals for slaughter is
considered halal. While they do not fully endorse pacification and consider it a last resort, the
EDHC halal standards permit the stunning of animals before slaughter (shaykh, 2017). The
Department of Standards Malaysia (DSM) halal guideline states that stunning is not
recommended, but acceptable if it meets their standards (Department of Standards Malaysia,
2009). Advocates of stunning argue that, when done right, it ensures minimal suffering before
slaughter and allows for halal food to exist on an industrial scale. The major opposition focuses
on the efficacy and humanity of the methods of stunning (Fuseini, Knowles, Hadley, & Wotton,7
2016). The DSM criteria for stunning require that “stunning shall not kill or cause permanent
physical injury to the animal” and that “The animal shall be alive or deemed to be alive at the
time of slaughter” (Department of Standards Malaysia, 2009). As more studies and refinements
have emerged on stunning technology that minimize animal suffering, stunning has become far
less controversial (Fuseini, Knowles, Hadley, & Wotton, 2016).
2.3 Muslim Migration to Hong Kong
The following section provides a brief overview of the history of Islam in Hong Kong.
First, some information about the early history of Muslims in the territory is provided, who they
were and where they originated. Then, the formation of the first Islamic community and their
integration into Hong Kong is detailed. This section concludes with a breakdown of the Muslim
population in Hong Kong.
2.3.1 History of Muslim Migration
Muslim traders of Arabian, Persian, and South Asian origin were the first Muslims to
settle in China during the eighth century (Weiss, 1991). These Muslims are often overlooked as
having taken part in the early presence of Islam in Hong Kong due to the limited records that
exist (O’Connor, 2012, p. 23). Once settled in China, some traders married locals, and their
lineage became known as the Chinese Muslims or Hui people (Weiss, 1991, p. 419). Throughout
their generations, the Chinese Muslims have merged some of Chinese culture and beliefs with
the practices of Islam.
The influx of Muslims into Hong Kong began in the early 19th century following British
colonization. South Asian sailors and merchants arrived with the British and settled in what
today is known as the Central district of Hong Kong. When the South Asian Muslims settled in
Hong Kong, many brought their wives and children to Hong Kong. Some South Asian Muslims
married within their new established community, while others married local Cantonese. The term
“local boys” refers to the children that were born between the marriages of South Asian Muslims
and local Chinese (Weiss, 1991). According to O’Connor, the wealth of South Asian Muslim
men made marrying local Chinese women socially acceptable, while the reverse was
exceptionally rare.
The South Asian Muslims, particularly the “local boys”, were favored over the local
Chinese by the British due to their “excellent Chinese and English language skills” (O'Connor,
2012). This enabled them to become highly respected law enforcement officers and civil servants
(Heaver, 2015). They were appointed positions in the police, army, and the bureaucracy, jobs
that the British did not want to occupy (O’Connor, 2012, p. 24). These jobs allowed them to act
as mediators between the British and the local Chinese. Although the Muslims occupied8
important jobs and were able to accumulate wealth, they remained segregated as the mediators
between the British and the local Chinese.
By the 1850s, the British colonizers acknowledged the presence of a Muslim community
in Hong Kong. The community established the first Islamic organization, the Incorporated
Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund (ITICFHK), with representative members from the
different Muslim sub-communities. The ITICFHK was granted land by the British so that
Muslims could have a place where they could practice their religion. The land was in what today
is known as Shelley Street (Weiss 1991, p. 425). Today there sits the first mosque, Jamia Masjid,
that was built in Hong Kong. The mosque was first built in 1890 and later on rebuilt and
enlarged in 1915 (The Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong
[ITICFHK], 2015b).
Today, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world (Lipka & Hackett, 2017). From
2010 to 2016, Hong Kong saw an estimated increase of the Muslim population by 80,000 people.
In 2016, the total of the Muslim population was estimated to be about 300,000. Half of them
(150,000) are Indonesians, mostly female foreign domestic workers. The rest is comprised of
40,000 Chinese Muslims (Hui), 30,000 Pakistanis, and the remaining are non-Chinese
individuals born in India, Malaysia, the Middle East, and Africa (ITICFHK, 2015b).
2.4 Muslim Integration into Hong Kong
In this section we discuss the different Muslim organizations in Hong Kong, followed by
a discussion of Muslims’ adaptation to the cultural and social dynamics in Hong Kong. To
conclude, we provide information about the Indonesian domestic workers.
2.4.1 Muslim Organizations
The Muslim community in Hong Kong is represented by various organizations, often
organized by nationality. The predominant nationalities are the Indonesians, Chinese Muslims,
and South Asians. The major representing bodies of Muslims in Hong Kong are: the Islamic
Union of Hong Kong (IUHK) and the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of
Hong Kong (ITICFHK) (ITICFHK, 2015a). The most prominent organization is ITICFHK. It is
a government recognized organization that oversees the administration of mosques and
cemeteries, and acts as a way for Muslims concerns to be addressed by the government
(O’Connor, 2012). These Muslim organizations also spread awareness of Islam and connect
Muslims and non-Muslims through social events.9
2.4.2 Cultural and Social Integration
Historically, the Muslim community’s cultural and religious practices have been
respected since their settlement in Hong Kong due to the various important roles they fulfilled.
This is reflected by the central locations of the first two mosques, Jamia Mosque and Kowloon
Mosque (O’Connor, 2012, p. 30). A folktale tells that the local Chinese would not walk through
the area where Muslims had gathered for prayer if they were transporting pork, as an expression
of respect.
In recent years, the Muslim community in Hong Kong has experienced increasing
discrimination. According to O’Connor, Muslims are discriminated by race, rather than religion.
Many people in East Asian countries prefer lighter skin tones because it has been associated with
racial superiority, beauty, and better socioeconomic status (Pe, 2016). As a result, negative
attitudes towards dark-skinned individuals in Hong Kong are common. The discrimination
perpetuates segregation against the Muslim community, who seeks to integrate into Hong
Kongese society (Lam, 2012). An example is the push for ethnic minorities to learn English
instead of Mandarin or Cantonese. This language barrier hinders everyday communication and
limits access to resources/institutions, primarily higher education.
2.4.3 Domestic Workers
The largest portion of the Muslim population in Hong Kong are Indonesians, who are
almost exclusively female domestic workers. They are contracted as maids, childminders, and
cleaners who live and work in their host family's home. During their days off, Indonesian women
can be seen in Victoria Park. They share food, listen to music, read letters, use the internet, and
read the Qur’an together and form a support network (O’Connor, 2012, p. 46).
From the 1970s until the early 2000’s, most of the foreign domestic workers came from
the Philippines. Hong Kong’s Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic of 2003
caused Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the president of the Philippines, to impose a ban on new
foreign domestic contracts between the Philippines and Hong Kong. The need to replace these
workers drove the influx of the Indonesian domestic workers (O’Connor, 2012). Indonesians
were the best fit due to their general obedience, Cantonese fluency, and willingness to work
below minimum wage.
Indonesian domestics workers are often unable exercise their right to practice Islam due
to their working contracts and living conditions. Documented cases report domestic workers
having to change the way that they practice their religion to accommodate their situation. Some
employers would not allow them to pray or wear their hijabs at home, and force them to consume
pork (O’Connor, 2012, p. 49). As a result, many of the domestic workers are unsatisfied
spiritually and feel discriminated. They are forced to choose of choosing between employment
and faith.10
2.5 Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre
The following section covers information about the project’s sponsor, the Hong Kong
Standards and Testing Centre (STC). We discuss the STC, its current position in Hong Kong’s
testing industry is explained, and ways that their experience and current ventures may be utilized
for the project’s objectives are identified.
2.5.1 The STC and its Industry Position in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre is a non-profit organization that
specializes in testing, inspecting, certifying, and providing technical services for other agencies
and industry partners. STC’s services specialize in the disciplines of chemicals, food,
pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, toys/children products, and medical devices. STC certified
clients can offer competitive products and services, while also building consumer confidence.
STC wishes to enter the halal food market to cater to the needs of the Muslim minority by
assisting halal food certification to make halal food more available (Hong, 2017d).
STC’s role in industry is rooted since its establishment in 1963. The business relations
built since then include mutual recognition agreements with 50 separate agencies around the
globe and over 60 international alliances. From this position in industry, the opportunity to
initiate and conduct industry changes in standardization and innovation presents itself. STC’s
mutual recognition agreements and international alliances grant it leverage in introducing new
testing and certifying ventures, while expertise in services such as quality assurance and safety
validation conserve client confidence. STC’s Food Science Group works with food
manufacturers, processors, restaurants, catering services centers, and fast food vendors to ensure
food safety and quality control. The role of STC in industry, their connections, and current
initiatives position it well to enter the venture of halal food certification (Hong, 2017c).
STC’s food testing experience, certification alliances, industry connections, and social
outreach could serve as a good starting point in enhancing the availability and accessibility of
halal food in Hong Kong. According to STC, their food Science Group has a recent history in
halal food testing. They use their microbiological lab to test for animal products, microbes, and
enzymes; the ability to check for trace amounts of non-halal substances offers another layer of
consumer protection. Current testing operations for banned additives could be adapted for halal
testing. Pre-shipment inspections could also be conducted as a halal certification service. The
ability to test food for food contamination and trace product origins will enable large
manufactures to become halal certified easier (Law, 2017).
STC’s networking with food outlets and other certification agencies will ease the
certification of halal food and communicating the incentives of doing so. STC is already
collaborating with the Islamic Food Research Centre (IFRC) Hong Kong, a member of the11 World Halal Council (WHC), to provide a certification program for halal products and act as an overall resource. Having a reputable partner is essential to gaining and retaining the trust of Muslim consumers.
12
3. Methodology
The purpose of our project is to recommend the best avenue for the STC to facilitate halal
certification in Hong K ong’s food industry. To achieve our purpose, we have determined the
following objectives:
1. Identify the Muslim population in Hong Kong
2. Identify the Muslim community’s current and future need for halal food
3. Identify the challenges of following a halal diet for Muslims in Hong Kong
4. Determine recommendations for the STC to facilitate halal certification
3.1 The Muslim Population in Hong Kong
We are conducting research primarily utilizing government provided data and local
scholars’ publications as our sources. We are collecting general demographic information on the
Muslim community in Hong Kong pertaining to population, ethnicity, and economic status. This
information helps us identify key locations to conduct interviews and the types of questions that
we should be focusing on for our interviews and survey.
We are conducting semi-standardized interviews with representatives of the Islamic
Union of Hong Kong (IUHK), the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of
Hong Kong (ITICFHK), the Indonesian Muslim Association, and the Consulate General of the
Republic of Indonesia. We are interviewing these individuals because they have direct
interactions with the Muslim community. The structure of semi-standardized interviews allows
us to have predetermined questions, asked consistently across interviews while still having the
flexibility to ask follow up questions. This allows us to gather detailed information about the
Muslim community that previous research may not have uncovered.
We are including questions that help us quantify the demographic information of the
respondents in the survey that we are using to address Objectives 1 and 2. Obtaining a sample
that is approximately proportional to the overall makeup of the Muslim community in Hong
Kong is important because it assures that our data represent the perspectives of the different
ethnic groups within the community.
3.2 The Current and Future Need for Halal Food
We are conducting semi-standardized interviews with Islamic religious leaders as well as
follow-up interviews with those people interviewed in Objective 1. The purpose of these
interviews and follow-ups is to fully and completely understand the religious leaders’ and
community representatives’ perspectives on the Muslim community and difficulties regarding
halal food.13
Semi-standardized interviews, conducted with randomly selected individuals from the
Muslim community as well as local scholars, will build upon the data collected from our initial
interviews. This method helps us identify the food preferences and eating habits of this group. In
this way we want to gather more comprehensive information beyond what can be identified from
governmental reports.
The survey that we distribute contains questions that will give us an understanding of the
community’s interests. The questions that we ask and areas that we target are influenced by the
information gathered from Objective 1. This method helps us categorize the current food
products that Muslims are purchasing as well as the food products that they want to have halal
certified.
We are conducting non-participant observations at Wellcome, a supermarket chain in
Hong Kong, to take note of the food products that Muslims are buying. Through non-participant
observations, we can identify how actively they are looking for the halal certification stamp
without introducing bias. Additionally, we can also identify how often they purchase items
without the stamp.
3.3 The Challenges of Following a Halal Diet
We are conducting semi-standardized interviews with the owners of various businesses
that sell halal products. This selection includes convenience stores, restaurants, and markets that
may or may not sell halal certified products. We are asking these individuals about their
perspectives on the Muslim community and the trends they have observed surrounding Muslim
customers and halal certified food products. This information helps us identify the concerns that
the community may have about the availability of halal food.
The semi-standardized interviews we are using for Objective 2 also include questions
relevant to this objective. The existing research does not account for how strictly halal practices
are followed. Individual interviews allow us to determine the degree to which Hong Kong
Muslims adhere to halal dietary restrictions. Additionally, the aforementioned survey includes
questions regarding the difficulty in finding and acquiring halal food.
3.4 Determining Recommendations
After analyzing the data that we collect from the semi-standardized interviews and the
survey, we develop a set of recommendations that the STC can pursue to facilitate halal
certification in Hong Kong. Our set of recommendations identifies which industry sectors to
prioritize, how to convey basic information regarding halal and halal certification to potential
clients, and who they should first contact within the Muslim community.14
4. Results and Analysis
In this chapter we provide a breakdown of the most important data that we collected from
archival research, semi-standardized interviews, an online survey, and non-participant
observations. We first detail information regarding the demographics of the Muslim community.
Following, we discuss our findings concerning pre-packaged food, meat, and fast food. To
conclude, we present the challenges that the Muslim community faces regarding halal food and
how halal certification impacts them.
4.1 Demographic Information
As of 2016, there are approximately 300,000 Muslims in Hong Kong. More than half of
them identified as Indonesian, followed by 30,000 Pakistanis as the next largest group. The rest
is comprised of individuals from India, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Africa (Yearbook, 2016).
According to an employee of the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Hong Kong,
it is hard to keep track of the Muslim population in Hong Kong since most of them are not
permanent residents. Currently, only an approximate population number is known (Appendix
B.1).
The data of our survey demonstrate that the ethnic distribution of our sample is
approximately proportional to the actual distribution of the Muslim population in Hong Kong. It
is important that the survey data match the general demographic information because it ensures
that our sample represents the different perspectives of the ethnic groups within the community.
As can be seen on Figure 5, most of the responses came from Indonesians, followed by
Pakistanis, and then Indians. The “Other” portion groups together the other ethnicities from our
sample such as the Bangladeshis and Malaysians.15
Indonesian
43.75% Chinese
Egyptian 2.84%
0.57%
Bangladeshi
Malaysian 1.70%
2.27%
Other Nigerian
14.20% 0.57%
Central Asia
Indian 0.57%
18.75% Prefer not to say
Pakistani 5.68%
23.30%
Figure 5: Responses to the question: “With which of these groups do you identify?”
4.2 Pre-packaged Food
There is a demand for more pre-packaged goods to become halal certified. When asked
whether certifying pre-packaged food products or restaurants would be a higher priority, one
imam we interviewed claimed that pre-packaged food products were more important (Appendix,
Imam One). Other interviewees corroborated this claim (see Appendix B.6 and Appendix B.1 for
details). When asked how often they purchase pre-packaged foods, 47% of survey respondents
answered “Frequently” or more often. When asked what specific products they would like to see
certified, 26% of answers mentioned some sort of pre-packaged product (Appendix D).
25%
21%
20%
Percent of Reponses
20%
15% 13% 12%
12% 12%
9%
10%
5%
0%
Frequency
Figure 6: Responses to the question: “How often do you purchase pre-packaged foods (sealed food contained in cans, boxes,
wrappers,…)”16
In our non-participant observations (refer to Appendix E), customers that we identified as
Muslim typically checked the packaging of the products they were buying. It appeared to us that
they were either looking for a halal certification or checking the ingredients. 94% of survey
respondents answered that halal certification makes them trust that an item is halal. When asked
how strictly they follow a halal diet 65% of respondents answered “I only eat food I am certain is
halal”. These data indicate that many Muslims in Hong Kong are highly concerned about their
products being halal certified.
Most of our interviewees gave us the impression that they were more interested in having
a large quantity of items be certified than a specific good. For example, Wellcome currently only
has one brand of halal certified milk (Appendix B.1). Representatives of the Islamic Union of
Hong Kong claimed that even though food products such as bread, yogurt, and biscuits could
easily be halal certified, there are very few that are (Appendix B.8). When asked about specific
pre-packaged items that the survey respondents would like to see certified, the most common
answer was “Bread”, but responses covered a very large range. Answers included simple items
like “butter” and “cheese”, convenience products like “frozen food” and “instant noodles”, and
treats like “chocolate” and “ice cream”.
4.3 Meat
There is a high demand for halal meat in Hong Kong that is not being fulfilled. 80 - 85%
of the halal meat in Hong Kong is imported, notably from Brazil and Mainland China (Appendix
B.4). Although, the meat from these countries has a halal certification stamp, the Muslim
community is skeptical about its integrity, according to an imam we interviewed (Appendix B.4)
and several of our survey responses (refer to Appendix D). The community cannot verify if a
foreign food manufacturer is following the halal requirements. Muslim leaders lack
communication and means of travel for personal reassurance. We determined that Hong Kong
Muslims do not trust the meat from China due to a lack of reputable Chinese certifiers. There are
Chinese owned meat markets that sell halal meat, however the Muslim community worries that
the owners of those meat markets may use the term halal just to make a sale, according to an
imam we interviewed (Appendix B.4). Additionally, multiple interviewees claimed that Chinese
food is questionable because Chinese food culture is based significantly on pork, a haram (non-
halal) ingredient. The other 15 - 20% of the meat is slaughtered in Hong Kong with live animals
imported from mainland China. There are four licensed slaughterhouses in Hong Kong and only
one, Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse, produces halal meat in any capacity (Appendix F). The
Sheung Shui slaughterhouse lends space to Muslim butchers so that they can perform ritual
slaughter (Appendix B.4 and Appendix G) as dictated by the Quran. The meat is then distributed
to multiple halal meat markets around Hong Kong (Appendix F).17
The price of halal meat is another obstacle for the Muslim community. Domestically
produced meat is much more expensive, according to one of the imams we interviewed
(Appendix B.4). This is a result of skepticism of imports, while the domestic meat supply is
limited to a single slaughterhouse (Appendix F). To cope with the shortage and expense of halal
meat, the Muslim community has largely adapted in two ways. Some Muslims with a looser
halal diet adherence settle with non-halal meat (still excluding pork) (Appendix B.3 and B.1),
while others follow a halal diet more strictly. Some Muslims become vegetarian to avoid that
risk, but still need to be wary of food cooked with pork oil or alcohol when going out to eat
(Appendix B.2 and B.8).
4.4 Fast Food
Halal certification is not a new concept for many major fast food chains. In countries with
a significant Muslim population, fast food chains have some or all of their branches certified. For
example, all branches of McDonald’s in Bahrain, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore,
Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates are halal certified (McDonald’s Bahrain, 2017;
McDonald’s Indonesia, 2018; McDonald’s Malaysia, 2018; McDonald’s Saudi Arabia, 2017;
McDonald’s, 2013; McDonald’s Turkey, n.d.; McDonald’s United Arab Emirates, 2018). While
most of these are predominantly Muslim countries, Singapore only has a 15% Muslim population
(Singapore, 2011).
Some of the large fast food chains in Hong Kong are aware that the Muslim community
wants them to be certified. In 2013, the chief imam of Hong Kong attempted to convince
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Pizza Hut, and McDonald’s to certify certain outlets (Carney,
2013). However, these chains did not think there is enough of a market for halal certified fast
food (Appendix B.4). A local scholar (Appendix B.2) told us that while he believes that the
Muslim community would benefit from having halal certified fast food outlets, fast food chains
might not put in the effort to become certified unless they are convinced that there is a profitable
market.
To determine the Muslim community’s interest in halal certified fast food we asked them
“How often do you eat fast food? (McDonalds, KFC, …)” and “How often would you eat fast
food if it were halal certified? (McDonalds, KFC, …)” on a scale from one to seven.You can also read
